History

The birth of British chain manufacturing coincides with the registration of the first chain patent by Philip White in 1634 and there is evidence the Timmington, Griffin and Woodhouse families have been involved in chain making since the 18th century.

In 1790 J Wood Aston founded his firm making chain in Cradley Heath, which was subsequently bought by William Griffin in 1893. William Griffin & Sons was later registered as a limited company in 1915 when the business was flourishing during the First World War, employing over two hundred people.

In 1860 Emmanuel Woodhouse similarly founded a firm making chain in Cradley Heath. The 1881 English Census details him as a sixty year old chain maker employing four men and two boys. Woodhouse Bros. subsequently flourished under sons Caleb and Albert, eventually employing over sixty chain makers manufacturing a range of sizes from 5 to 50mm diameter.

In 1942 Woodhouse Bros. joined forces with William Griffin & Sons during the Second World War to manufacture the unique ‘Integral Stud Link Chain’ invented by John Timmington. Griffin-Woodhouse Chain Cables Ltd. was registered in 1944 and later re-registered as Griffin-Woodhouse Ltd. in 1965.

In 1961 the business expanded further through purchase of local shackle manufacturer G & H.C. Hackett Bros. and in 1968 an extensive refurbishment of the current Woods Lane site was undertaken.

Having served the British market exclusively, Griffin-Woodhouse Ltd. set about developing a global presence in 1972 and today exports to over 50 countries world-wide, representing over 70% of turnover.

In 1988 Griffin-Woodhouse Ltd. was acquired in its entirety by the Timmington family and remains a private family business to-date. The Head Office in Cradley Heath is at the heart of the 'Black Country', an area to the west of Birmingham synonymous with the birth of the Industrial Revolution in Britain around 1760. The region today comprises four Metropolitan District Council areas including Sandwell, in which Cradley Heath is located. The Black Country gained its name in the mid-nineteenth century due to the smoke from many thousands of ironworking foundries & forges and the abundance of coal in shallow, 30ft. thick seams. The region’s flag features a chain to represent the manufacturing heritage of the area whilst the white shape in the background recalls the iconic glass cones and iron furnaces that featured in the architectural landscape. The red and black colours recall the famous description of the Black Country by Elihu Burrit, American Consul to Birmingham in 1862, that it was “black by day and red by night” owing to the smoke and fires of industry. Other authors, from Charles Dickens to William Shenstone refer to the intensity of manufacturing in the Black Country and its effect on the landscape and its people.

More Information?

If you require any further information please do not hesitate to Contact Us.

More Information?

If you require any further information please do not hesitate to contact us on +44 (0) 1299 861 829 or you can visit our website at http://www.gwec.co.uk/ for the latest information.